The Ashanti Regional director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Emmanuel Tenkorang has noted that 142,406 pregnant women were tested for HIV in the area of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT).

Out of this, it came to light 2,186 pregnant women tested positive for HIV in the year 2018 in the Ashanti Region.

The report further stated that the estimated HIV positive cases in the region is 58,641. 21,828 of the number are receiving treatment at the various ART and PMTCT centres.

The revelations came to the fore during the 2018 performance review of the Regional Health Directorate. The program was under the theme: Strengthening Health System to Improve Maternal and Newborn health.

Dr Tenkorang also stated that the Ashanti Region recorded a reduction in antenatal care coverage. It reduced from 72.9% in 2017 to 69.1% in 2018.

He further stated that the Institutional Maternal Mortality Rate increased from 139/100,000 in 2017 to 184.4/100,000 in 2018.

In all a total of 221 women died while delivering in 2018 as compared to the 162 in 2017.

The number of audited maternal deaths also increased 143 representing 88.3% to 212 representing 95.9%.